Leer feeder



June 17 1930' A. N. CRAMER 1,764,153 l LEER FEEDER June 1'7, 1930.

A. N CRAMER LEER FEEDER Filed Jan. 21, 1928 2 sheets-sheet 2 i Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED ySTATES PATENT oFFlcE ALBERT N. CRAMER, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO OWENS-ILLINOIS GLASS COM- PANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO LEER FEEDER Application l:tiled January 21, 1928. Serial No. 248,386.

The present invention relates to improvements in feeders for positioning ware upon. ware conveyors in glassware annealing leers or the like.

In commercial operation, a single leer is frequently required to anneal ware produced by two machines, each of which may be forming three different types of ware. Ordinarily, such condition would mean that the six types of ware fed into the leer would be so intermingled that each selector at the delivery end of the leer must handle ware produced by both machines, the result being that greatest efficiency in ware selection or separation cannot be,obtained. 3'

An object of the present invention is to provide means whereby ware may be fed into opposite sides of a. leer from two machines and placed upon the ware conveyor in such fashion that there is no intermingling in the leer of the ware produced by the two machines. The ware from one machine passes through the leer at onev side of the tunnel, while the other side accommodates the ware from lthe other machine. Accordingly, the selector is merely required to handle ware from one of the machines, rather than from two as has be'en the practice.

Another object of the present invention is to provide automatic .means cooperating with carr in -in belts comprising a part of 4the leer ee er, to periodically stop'move.

ment of ware into the leer whereby the ware already in the leer, but positioned upon the inner portlon of the carrying-in belts,

`may be removed from the latter and placed upon the leer conveyor.

Other objects will be apparent hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view taken longitudinally ofthe leer.

Fig.' 2 is a horizontal sectional view through a leer, the leer feeder associated therewith and operating mechanism being shown in plan. v

Fig. 3y is adetail sectional view showing thevware pushers and the manner in which they transfer the ware to the leer conveyor.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the control device whlch actuates the means lor periodically stopping movement of ware eov sprockets l'spaced apart lengthwise of the leer and arranged at different elevations to provide an inclined area 17 in the conveyor 15 whereby portions of the leer feeders may be arranged in proper relation to the ware carrying area 18 of the conveyor. According to the present embodiment of the lnvention, two carrying-in belts 19 (Fig. 2) extend transversely of the leer through the opposed openings l1 in the leer 'sidewalls and are trained over sprockets 20, the upper reaches being arranged just above the inclined area 17 of the conveyor 15. These carrying-in belts 19- (Fig. 3) including the sprocket chain 21, are guided in suitable ways or channels 22 formed in a transverse supporting frame 23 whose ends may be secured to the side walls of the leer or set upon the bottom walls of the opposed openings 11. The upper reach of the forward carrying-in belt 19 is arranged at a lower elevation than the corresponding reach of the other belt so that a chute or slideway l24 (Figs. 2 and 3) may extend forwardly `above said lower carrying-in belt and thereby provide means lpermitting uninterrupted transfer of ware driven by a motor 26 through a speed reduction gearing 27 which has drlving con- 'nection to one of the sprockets 20. One of the motors 26 (Fig. 2) actuates mechanism to periodically stop movement of ware into the leer so that ware upon the inner end of the carrying-in belts and already in the leer may be removed from the belts by pushers.

This mechanism includes a pair of stop fingers 28 (Fig. 2) movable about vertical axes and adapted to extendacross the carrying-in belts 19 at regular time intervals at a point in proximity to the opposed openings 1l through which the belts elvtend into the leer tunnel. These fingers are journalled on suitable supports 29 and are interconnected through a lever 30 and a connecting rod 31 as shown in Fig. 2. rThis connecting rod 31 has one end pivoted to a bell crank lever 32 (Fig. 4), one arm 33 of which carries a counterweight 34 which normally holds the rod in such position that the fingers are arranged at one side of the carrying-in belts and will not interfere with movement of the ware into the leer. This bell crank lever 32 is formed with an arm 35 which carries a cam roll 36 contacting with a continuously rotating cam 37 (Fig. 4). This cam 37 is in which the motor 48 is placed while the other contact 50 is connected to a conductor 52 having connection to said motor and a source of current supply (not shown). The contact strip 49 is of such length that the circuit for the motor 48 is closed for a period of time sufficient to allow the pusher barsv 42 to move forwardiy across the inner por-1" tions of the carrying-in belts 19 and then return to their original positions while the stop fingers 28 are positioned acrss said belts 19.

lVare ejected from the forming machinesl (not shown) is carried by endless belts 55 to transfer disks 56 which in turn, place the ware upon the outer end portions of the carrying-in or hot belts 19. Partition plates 57 are placed between the hot belts 19 at positions opposite fingers 28, to prevent ware being pushed to the outgoing belt while the fingers are in stopping position. A stop plate 58 (Fig. 2) is arranged midway between the-openings 11 to limit the extent of movement of the ware across the leer on the hot belts andA thereby establish a dividing line between the ware' produced by the two machines. Thus, as ypreviously stated, each of the selectors at the delivery end of the fixed to a shaft 38 carrying at one end a relalleer (considering that there are two selectively large gear 39 running in mesh with a pinion 40, the latter being fixed to a shaft 41 driven by one of the motors 26. Continuous rotation of the cam 37 causes rocking' of the bell crank lever 32 at regular intervals to project the stop fingers 28 across the carrying-in belts 19 whereby movement of ware with the carrying-in belts into the leer tunnel is stopped to permit removal ofware from the inner portion `of, the carrying-in belts to the ware conveyor 15 in the leer tunnel.

Pushervbars 42 (Fig. 2) arranged one in advance of the other, are carried by a cross head 43 connected through rods 44 to eccentrics 46 on a shaft 45. This shaft 45 is continuously rotated through a -speed reduction gearing 47 by a motory 48 whose operating periods are timed with move-- ments of the fingers 28. Thus, the fingers 28 operate to momentarily stop feeding of ware into the leer, and the pusher bars 42 are then moved forward to remove the ware from the inner portions of the carrying-in belts to the slideways -24 and 25 over which the ware passes to the' conveyor 15.

The operating periods of the pusher operating motor 48 are regulated by rotation of the shaft 38 which periodically positions the finger 28 to stop feeding of ware into the leer. This shaft 38 carries a contact strip 49 which engages a yieldable contact 50., (Figs. 2 and 4). The contact bar 49 forms a part of a circuit closer for the motor circuit and is cc onected to a current conductor 51,l forming one side of an electrical circuit tors as usual) may devote his entire time to separating the several types of ware produced on one machine instead of having to handle ware from both machines.

In operating a rfeeder 4such as that described above, ware is lcontinuously placed upon the outer end portions of the hot belts 19, the latter moving continuously in directions to carry the ware into the leer through the feed openings 11. Operation of the stop fingers 28 is so timed that they are moved across the hot belts just after a sufficient number of bottles or other articles have passed the fingers tocomplete a transverse row of ware within the leer. Thus, movement of additional bottles into the leer is stopped for a certain period of time, and the pusher barsL42 are then operated during this period, as previously described, for the purpose of removing the ware from the inner ends of the hot belts and placing such ware upon the slideways 24 and 25 from which it is later pushed onto the main ware conveyor 15.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended4 claims.

What I claim is: i

1. In combination, a-lear, means to convey ware therethrough, means comprising a pair of endless belts extending through feed openings in the leer side walls, to feed ware transversely into the leer from both sides of the latter, means to periodically arrest movement of wareinto the leeron said belts,

and means operating at regular intervals to move ware from portions of the belts to the Ware conveying means in the leer.

2. In combination, a leer, means to convey ware therethrough, means comprising a pair of endless belts extending through feed openings in the leer side walls to feed ware transversely into the leer from both sides of the latter, and means to limit the'extent of transverse movement of the ware fed into the leer.

3. In combination, a leer, an endless ware conveyor extending through the leer, said leer having opposed feed openings in its side walls, a pair of carrying-in belts arranged side by side and extending through the opposed openings to feed ware into the leer from opposite sides of the latter, and means to limit the extent of transverse movement of Ware throughthe leeron said belts.

4. In combination, a leer, an endless ware conveyor extending through 'the leer., said leer having opposed feed openings in its side walls, a pair of carrying-in belt-s arranged side by side and extending through the opposed openings to feed ware into the leer from opposite sides of the latter,means to limit the extent of transverse movement of ware through the leer on said belts, and means operating at regular timev intervals to move Ware transversely 4from the-carrying-in belts for positioning it upon the ware conveyor.

5. In combination, a leer, means to convey ware therethrough, a pair of carryingin belts arranvecl side by side and extending transverse y through the leer to feed ware into the leer from opposite sides thereof, stop lingers movable periodically across the carrying-in belts to stop movement of ware into the leer on said belts, and. pusher bars arranged to move across port-ions' of the belts within the leer to remove ware from said belts and position it upon the ware conveyor in timed relation to movement-s of said fingers.

6. In combination, a leer, means to convey ware therethrough, a pair of carrying-in belts arranged side byside and extending transversely through the leer to feed ware into the leer from opposite sides thereof, stop fingers movable periodically across the carrying-in belts to stop movement of'ware into the leer on said belts, pusher bars arranged to move across portions of the belts within the leer to remove' ware from said belts and position it upon the Ware conveyor, motor operated mechanism to reciprocate the pusher bars at regular intervals in timed relation to movement of the fingers, and means including a circuit closer for the motor operating the pusher bars to control the timed relation between movements of the fingers and pusher bars.

7. In combination, a -leer having a pair of opposed feed openings ill-its slde walls,

l a ware conveyor extending through the leer, l

a pair of carrying-in belts arranged side by side and extending entirely through both of said openings and adapted to carry ware into the leer, inclined slideways arranged in advance of' the carrying-in belts to receive ware removed from lthe latter, a stopplate arranged to limit transverse movement of lware with the carrying-in belts, and pusher barsv operating at regular intervals 'to remove Ware from those portions of the belts Within the leer.

8. In combination, a leer having a pair of opposed feed openings in its side walls, a ware conveyor extending thrbugh the leer, a pair of carrying-in belts arranged side by side and extending entirely through both of said openings and adapted to carry ware into the leer, inclined slideways arranged in advance of the carrying-in belts, to receive ware removed from thev latter, a stop plate arranged to limit transverse movement of Ware with the carrying-in belts, means arranged to periodically 'stop movement of Ware into the leer, and pusher bars operating at'regular intervals to remove ware from the portions of the carrying-in belts `within the leer.

' 9. In combination, a leer having a ware conveyor extending lengthwise thereof, a pair of carrying-in belts extending into the leerv from opposite sides thereof, means for actuating said belts to carry Ware thereon into the leer from opposite sides of the leer, and means for arresting the inward movement of the ware on said belts and thereby preventing each belt from depositing ware on the leer conveyor in 'a position to encroach on the area within the leer supplied by the other conveyor belt.

10. In combination, a leer having a ware conveyor. extending lengthwise thereof, a pair of carrying-in belts extending into the leer from opposite sides thereof, means for actuating said beltsf to carry Ware thereon into the leer from opposite sides of the leer, and means for arresting the inward movement of the Ware on said belts and thereby Ano preventing each belt from depositing ware on the leer conveyor in a position to encroach on the area within the leer supplied by the other conveyor belt, each of said belts extending entirely through the leer transversely thereof. g

Sioned at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and tate of Ohio, this 16th day of January,

ALBERT N. CRAMER. 

